RedEyed Monster
by Die Kikyo Die
Summary: The broken chunks of the mug rang as they hit the floor. Sakura shivered as she recalled the words, Are you ready to tango with the Red Eyed Monster? Her hands shook, empty, and she whispered, Sasukekun, please come home. Naruto's changed since then..
1. Chapter 1

**Immortality Is All I Can Hope For**

In the peaceful village of Konoha nothing big or dangerous happens. In the village of Konoha, no one ever betrays or deceives. In the village of Konoha people don't run away from the village to seek power from evil. In the village of Konoha people don't spend almost all their life looking for one person, at least they thought.

This is what the villagers believed, that is before Orochimaru betrayed and deceived the village. That is, before Uchiha Sasuke left the village to seek out Orochimaru. That is, before Uzumaki Naruto devoted the rest of his life to searching for Sasuke, and Sasuke devoted the rest of his life to using the power given to him by Orochimaru to find his brother. Sasuke had left everything to seek out the one who had killed his clan, his family, Uchiha Itachi.

Naruto had moved up in the ranks to jounin, he had stopped at nothing to get better, stronger. Ever since they had failed that mission he had come back, empty but determined, weak yet stronger than ever before. Uzumaki Naruto had abandoned his previous life style and adopted one a new.

He had become distant, angrier, and depressed. The only thing that kept his body moving, that kept his mind in tact was...

"Sasuke"

The young jounin lowered his leg away from the tree trunk, his forehead protector lay strew on the ground letting sweat run freely down his forehead. He raised his leg and kicked out at the trunk again.

"Sasuke"

Another kick, this time the force was much greater.

"SASUKE!"

A final kick was delivered to the tree in a harsh fashion; the tree groaned and the young boy fell to the ground.

Hands gripping his hair, golden bangs framing his vision as drips of clear liquid fell to the ground. You would have to be extremely close to him to even tell whether the liquid was sweat or tears, maybe both.

"Sasuke"

Naruto whimpered the name shoulders shaking various cuts and bruises littered all over his body. A small rustling in the bushes brought him out of his trance.

"Who is it! Come out!"

The bushes parted and Sakura stepped out from behind them, a plastic bag in her hands. She moved over to him staying at least a foot and a half away, it was as close as he allowed others to get close to him nowadays.

"Sakura, what is it?"

Blue eyes that used to sparkle and shine like the sky had been darkened and clouded over and were glared straight at Sakura.

"I brought you some food."

She smiled slightly and moved close holding the bag out to him, only to have the bag slapped away.

"Don't get close to me!"

Sakura fell to the ground and looked up in fear as Naruto's eyes flashed red. She crawled backwards and stared at the ground tears streaming from her eyes.

Naruto stood bangs framing his eyes and turned away from Sakura.

"Crying, is that all you can do?"

She looked up and shook her head slowly still crying no matter how much she fought the tears.

Naruto let out of his usual harsh laughs; at least it had become a usual occurrence since Sasuke left.

"Really? That's all you seem to do. You don't rank upwards, you don't help search, and you don't even make an attempt—

"I do!"

Naruto looked back at Sakura as shocked as she was at her words; since Sasuke had left Sakura had never disagreed to or went against Naruto. Blue optics narrowed and Sakura felt singled out and naked under the gaze.

"What did you say?"

His tone was dangerously low and resembled more of a growl than human speech.

"I... I… I do try. I try to move in ranks I'm just not… not…"

"Not what Sakura?"

"I'm not… strong… enough"

"What was that?"

"I'm not strong enough."

Naruto smirked and curled his hand into a fist. Sakura went rigid truly scared for her health.

The Nine-Tail's container drove his fist into a nearby tree and Sakura jumped and edged backwards.

"Exactly Sakura, that's exactly it. You're not strong enough. Maybe if you used the time you take up by crying to train and become strong this search could actually go somewhere. Just to determine whether we actually had this stupid conversation I'll ask you again. What did you say?"

Sakura's head dropped her hair falling over her face.

"Nothing, I said nothing."

Naruto smirked once more and picked his forehead protector off the ground.

"That's what I thought."

With that he left, probably off to prepare for another search. Sakura looked after him as he jumped from branch to branch clad in black from head to toe.

She let out a small scream as the tree Naruto had been 'training with', or what she considers 'beating the living tar out of' toppled over with a dull thud.

A hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up to see her old teacher, Hatake 'copy cat' Kakashi.

"Naruto… he's changed. Before he was always smiling, he never wore all black, he never yelled at me, he never isolated himself; he never did any of that stuff! I'm wondering if maybe I had been nicer, if I had paid more attention, then maybe he wouldn't think that Sasuke was the only friend he ever had."

Sakura broke out in tears once more; Kakashi rubbed her back in small even circles.

"We can't change the past, what happened has happened. I hope Naruto finds Sasuke soon, or he might lose sight of himself forever."

Tsunade looked up from her papers to see the boy who had once claimed he would become Hokage, ranting about his way of the ninja. She sighed sadly; he had forgotten all those things when he and the others had failed to retrieve Sasuke.

She scowled a little; he hadn't even bothered to knock.

"I'm going off on another search."

Or say hello for that matter.

"Naruto, these constant searches aren't good for you psychically, mentally as well."

"I'm in perfect medical and psychical standing."

Naruto ground his teeth together, something he had starting to do and few months after Sasuke's betrayal. It meant different things to different people, to Sakura it meant he was annoyed, to Kakashi it meant he wanted him to stop talking and to Tsuande it meant he disagreed strongly with what she was saying.

"No, you're not Naruto. No one has bothered to tell you but everyone feels and sees it."

"Sees and fells what exactly?"

"You've changed. I've forgotten what your smile looks like, you never used to do things like putting down people and breaking promises. I can't even count the times you've said you'd meet someone somewhere and never shown up."

Narrowing his eyes Naruto looked straight at the Hokage. Then he scoffed and turned his head to the side.

"What's the point of keeping all those promises? It makes everyone think you're immortal, like you can do everything with your determination. Well news flash, you can't! I thought I could bring Sasuke back, I bet a lot of people did, but I didn't because I'm not immortal. If people think that then they don't count on me, the less people count on me the less people I have to worry about. Training is all I need to do, I have to be the same strength as Orochimaru and Sasuke to get anywhere. I can't do whatever I used to do because that's what holds me back, obviously it held Sasuke back too and that's why he le—

Tsunade stood abruptly and slammed her hands on the table, effectively cracking it in half; Naruto didn't even flinch.

"Fine Naruto, do what you want! Hear me out though, one day Sasuke won't be here and you'll have nothing to search for. One day Orochimaru will be gone and you've have no one to blame. When that time comes, who else will you have left that you can call you're friend? Who else will you have that you can call your rival?"

Naruto laughed, horse and crazed and Tsunade could almost see the clocks Kyuubi cackling along with him. Naruto grabbed his traveling ID from the broken pieces of desk and walked to the door. Then with his back facing her he spoke.

"If that does happen, friends will be the last thing I think about or need for that matter. If that happens I always know there's something else I can use myself for, there's someone else I can blame."

With that Naruto left on another constant search that would amount to nothing in the end.

_Dear Reviwers,_

_Please tell me weather you think this should turn into a fic with chapter or if it should just stay a small drabble._

_Thankyou._


	2. Chapter 2

Okies, because every review I got said to continue I have, decided to continue obviously since this chapter is up! Funnily, I read a really sick fan fiction from Naruto and it inspired me to write XD Alrighty now to review responses.

**Eh** – and maybe he shall, maybe he shall …

**Ashley** – and here you go, I'm continuing!

**Narutofreak22** – lol, when I read your review I thought it was funny. I was imagining a rabid Naruto running around like he had rabies and biting everyone! No, Naruto won't do anything like that… probably.

**Immortality Is All I Can Hope For**

**Chapter Two**

Kabuto hid in the shadows and watched the Nine Tails vessel sprinting wildly in an attempt to get to their hideout. When the boy was younger but strong enough to sense him he used to try and make Kabuto tell him where the hideout was. He used to scream things like "**_You'll tell me where Sasuke is, even if I have to beat up and make you tell!_** Nowadays he just ignored Kabuto when he sensed him.

The thin line of Kabuto's mouth spread into a smirk.

"You're breaking Uzumaki, you poor fool, you don't even realize what's happening."

Stroking his chin thoughtfully Kabuto stared hungrily at the black blur, and let his tongue pass over his lips in order to wet them. Yes, Uzumaki had been… developing in more ways then one.

"I wonder how good it would feel to break you just a bit more; I wonder what's really underneath all those clothes."

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?"

Spinning around sharply Kabuto faced the boy that had just been wandering his thoughts. He scoffed and adjusted his glasses.

"Shadow Clone eh? Always seemed to be your forte, can't believe I fell for it…"

Naruto stayed silent, he opened his mouth to speak but was cut off.

"I'm not going to tell you where young Sasuke is."

Naruto's light pink lips pressed into a firm line as he jumped from the branch level to Kabuto's, who repressed the urge to re-wet his lips.

"I was going to tell you, to stay out of my way."

Eyes flashing red and nails extending, Naruto got into a position at suggested him pouncing any moment.

"Got that!"

Sakura looked gloomily out her window as thunder rumbled followed by lightning soon after.

Sighing she got up and headed to her kitchen to prepare some coffee, all the while wondering how she had gotten so stupid.

Sakura was always awarded with the title of the smartest female ninja of her generation, which she had always been proud of. Yet, lately she had been wondering if she deserved that title at all.

She poured milk and three spoons of sugar into her tea and watched the dark black color turn to a lighter shade as she stirred. With a shaky hand she laid down the spoon and reached for her cup, cursing when she dropped it.

Shards of the white mug flew along the ground and the light black liquid sloshed and spread on the tile.

"I guess I'm still a little shaken up." She muttered.

The reason for Sakura's doubt of her intelligence and sudden bout of shaking was due to her encounter with Naruto earlier that day.

_"Naruto! Please stop this!"_

_Sakura stood poised in front of her teammate with her arms stretched out on either side of her body._

_Naruto was in front of her in the normal jounin uniform except for the fact that it was all black instead of blue, the vest however stayed the same earth green._

_Naruto bangs blew freely in the wind and her forehead protector was no where in sight. He had stopped wearing it after they failed, whether it was out of pride or shame Sakura didn't know._

_Once Konoha's #1 Noisy ninja ground his teeth together, but Sakura stood her ground even though she was well aware he was annoyed._

_"Sakura, you're getting bold don't you think. Two stupid arguments like this in one fucking day. Give me a break."_

_A little startled by the language, another thing that had changed, Sakura opened her mouth then closed it as she was used to. She then forced herself to open it and speak._

_"Naruto, you have to stop this! Even if you bring Sasuke back what makes her think he won't just run away again! I care about Sasuke too but—_

_Sakura stopped as Naruto made a growling sound and spat on the ground near her feet._

_She looked up and found herself face to face with flashing red eyes and enlarged canines as his mouth curled into a smirk._

_"I have to stop this? Don't fuck around with me Sakura! If you cared about Sasuke you wouldn't have given up on him the moment I failed to bring him back! If you really want me to stop this then try, try and stop me Sakura. Are ready to tango with the red eyed monster?"_

The broken chunks of the mug clattered as they were dumped roughly into the trash can. Sakura shivered as she recalled those words.

**_Are you ready to tango with the red eyed monster?_**

The doorbell rang and Sakura rushed over to answer it. She looked through the peephole, scared it might be Naruto here to pick up on his offer. Then again, even if she ignored him he'd probably break in somehow, if he really wanted to.

She let out the breath she had been holding as she realized it was just Hinata. She stood outside shivering in the rain.

Sakura unlocked the door and let the girl in.

"T-t-thank you, S-Sakura-san"

Nodding Sakura lead her through the small apartment back to the kitchen and started to make another batch of coffee, this time for two.

Lately Hinata had been coming to see Sakura more often, for comfort and sometimes reminiscing. Back then Naruto had been a fool not to notice the feeling the girl had for him.

Hinata's eyes seemed glossed over. Some would say that was because she was a Hyuuga, but these past few months Sakura had realized it was not the Hyuuga gene. She had never figured out why Hinata had come to her for support, she had great loving teammates, even family to consol her. Everything Sakura had lost.

The black substance bubbled in the glass pot. Sakura removed it from the fire and poured it into two separate glasses.

"Sugar? Milk?"

Hinata shook her head slowly; she had removed her forehead protector from her neck and now held it in her palm, tracing the Konoha symbol with her right index.

Nodding Sakura carried the steaming mugs over to the table and placed one in front of Hinata, who nodded in thanks. Then she sunk into the chair parallel and sipped from the mug.

The liquid stung the whole way down her throat, but it made her head clear and she was able to think properly.

"S-Sakura-san… did n-n-n-n-Naruto-kun…?"

Sakura nodded sadly.

"Leave? Yes… just a little while ago."

"Oh."

Hinata looked down into her mug and any idiot could see clearly that she was crying. Her small shoulders shook and Sakura could hear her choke back a sob.

She laid her hand onto of Hinata's and smiled apologetically. She didn't understand why though. Why should see apologize? Was it because she felt she held responsibility for his actions?

"Hinata, are you still thinking about Naruto as… you know…"

The young Hyuuga stayed silent and took a small sip from her slowly cooling coffee.

"Hinata, right now Naruto… right now maybe you shouldn't think of Naruto like that. He's being foolish, he was never really able to see your feelings and now…"

Sakura had to suppress the urge to look around to see if Naruto was nearby, she had been scared to talk ill of him, afraid her would show up and… give her a dance lesson.

"M-m-maybe not…"

Hinata looked her straight in the eyes, dozens of emotions swimming around in her glossy eyes.

"A-a-a few days ago, N-n-n-Naruto-kun and I had a conversation. It was raining that day as well."

_"Oi, Hinata, come here for a second."_

_Naruto was perched in crouching position on a rock in the park. Hinata had been walking by carrying a bag of groceries, which she almost dropped when she heard her name, and who was calling it._

_It was raining and Naruto's hair was drenched, he bangs framed her vision, forehead protector no where in sight._

_Nodding shyly Hinata walked over to him and set down her groceries before joining him on the rock. He made no move to push her away or tell her to leave._

_"What will it take?"_

_Naruto turned to look at her in the eyes._

_"I… I don't understand."_

_Surprisingly Naruto didn't even look annoyed, he hadn't lashed out either._

_"What will it take, for you to give up on me? To stop asking me to accompany you somewhere when you know I won't show up. To stop asking me to train with you when you know I'll just get rough."_

_Hinata was shocked to say the least. Naruto kept looking at her, he gaze hadn't slipped once._

_"So what will it take?"_

_She stayed silent not understanding properly or knowing what to do._

_"Come with me."_

_"W-w-where?"_

_"My place."_

Hinata started to cry again, harder and openly.

"I-I didn't know what I was getting into, I was so confused. And before I knew it, he… we"

Hinata dropped from her chair onto the ground, her head in her hands and shaking. Sakura rushed to her side and tried to consol her.

"I-I didn't know he meant to use that… f-for me to leave him alone."

"Hinata, what? What happened?"

Hinata looked up at Sakura tears still pouring out of her eyes.

"I slept with him."


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Yeah, I'm actually updating even though I haven't for a year now. I actually had to re-write the entire 3rd and 4th chapter because they had nothing to do with the previous chapters which was odd.

**Kunoichimirai** - the watching thing scares me a bit XD

**IQSymphic **- thanks, yeah I'll try and make the pairing as un-cheesy as possible. I had one pairing that I was going to make this fic for but now I feel like doing another pairing or something like that. I might end up doing a pairing I hate at the end for the sake of the story, just to make it seem a bit more real. Or at the end I might not have a pairing at all, I'm still deciding, but whatever it is I will defiantly try not to make it cheesy.

**oo** - it's too late! You've suggested it! Bah, just kidding, but you have given me an idea…

**Saico** - thank you, I think I needed to hear that, the compliment and the thing about the pairing. I'm just glad I'm not OVER-angsting Naruto, but then again I guess you have to go pretty far to get him over-angsted. Hum… well I tried to get Sakura in on the suffering of Naruto's change but I guess it doesn't hit as hard as what happened to Hinata. Yet, I don't want to make something bad like that happen to her because then it just seems over done. I think I'll space it out over time, I of course want to leave some people un-affected since Naruto didn't have a huge impact on everyone in the village. Yeah, Hinata seems to be worse off now but in later chapters other people will have their problems as well. I just don't want to overdo anything, you know what I mean? It would be way to cheesy if suddenly something like Ino dies and Shikamaru goes into depression and then Neji goes into depression because Hinata's depressed and then Sakura goes into depression because Naruto's changed and Sasuke's gone and Ino's dead. That would just turn anybody off a story, so Hinata's gonna be the only one with major suffering for a little while.

**--** - Maybe, maybe not. In the beginning I wanted it to be yaoi just because I'm somewhat of an obsessed fan girl, but now I'm thinking of changing it just so the story is a bit more interesting. Like if the pairing I'm going for looks like it will be cheesy I won't do it and I'll go with a pairing that's more real and fits with the story better. This however does not mean that if someone like Sakura or Hinata gets pregnant by Naruto one of them is going to end up with him, because fitting his current attitude and lifestyle in this fic it's more likely that he might just leave them on their own. Then again as the story progresses his attitude might change causing him to stay with either or. Hell he could end up with nobody if that's the way the story ends up. So if you don't like yaoi don't be discouraged because it might not be yaoi. I can tell you that it defiantly won't be Yuri since I don't feel comfortable writing that, but then again my feelings can change and I can end up putting it in, this story is like the MVA's, anything can happen. I also think I don't want to do the mass pairing thing where I pair off every single person with everyone else and leave out ugly/non-media savy people eg. Chouji, Lee.

Note: sorry for my over use of semi-colons.

**Disclaimer: The Naruto characters do not belong to me.**

**Red-Eyed Monster**

**Chapter Three**

Neji looked over at his companion. Hinata walked quietly, as a ninja should, but she looked down at her toes the entire time. Neji was used to frowning; it wasn't odd to his muscles to move in a downward pulling motion. Ten Ten always felt the need to inform him that he would be the first one in the group to develop wrinkles.

He had thought it odd to catch Hinata at this time in the day, where normally she would either be training of locked up in her room. It that way she was somewhat like Naruto. Neji almost let out a dry chuckle; never would he have before considered solitude a characteristic of the hyperactive ninja.

His frown deepened; on the other hand, never would he have thought Naruto to be a person to induce this solitude upon Hinata.

"W-we're here."

Neji almost jumped at the sound, almost; no ninja would ever show their lack in composure like that. Hinata was looking up at him tentatively, as if he might scold her for disrupting the possibly awkward silence.

He nodded and Hinata slunk quietly into her chambers. Neji looked at her disappear into the room, the same genin outfit, the same hairstyle, different eyes, hollowed out and black and blue underneath. Neji turned and walked off the property. Whether or not it was the right thing to comfort her, it wasn't his place.

-----------------------

"Hello and welcome to Yamanaka Flowers, we pick you purchase how may I help you to---, oh, it's just you two."

The smile Ino was wearing dropped off her face, obviously irritated at having to be customer friendly to her team mates, who most definitely were not planning to buy anything.

"Bah, you two again?"

"Don't look so happy to see us Ino." Shikamaru drawled from the doorway.

Shikamaru and Chouji made their way up to the front desk, Chouji leaving a trail of crumbs in his wake. He continued to munch happily on his brand name chips despite the irritated look Ino sent him.

"EVERY TIME! Every time you come here you…" She pointed directly at Shikamaru

"…Act like it's a chore to be here and you…" she turned the accusing finger to Chouji

"…Trail crumbs in the store! You know who has to clean that up afterwards? Me! That's who! Imagine if he came back and saw me on my hands and knees picking crumbs off the ground!"

As Ino finished the sentence her eyes lost a glow and too her teammates they looked as dead as the hope of Sasuke returning was when _they'd_ returned home from their mission.

She shook her head quickly, clearing thoughts and causing her blonde hair bangs to flow about her face.

"Well, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

The trio walked out of the store, though not without Ino making a fuss about how she'd have to make the time up later of course, and started walking along the dirt paths of Konoha. Ino had speedily been filled in on Naruto's newest excursion.

Ino didn't know much about the situation, she knew whenever he left Sakura got shaky and became a terrible host; that was about it.

"So, what are you going to do?" Ino looked expectantly at her teammates.

"Do? Nothing" Shikamaru threw out off-handedly

Ino stopped walking and looked inquiringly at Shikamaru. Nothing? Nothing at all?

"Nothing? Nothing at all." She voiced her thoughts

Shikamaru shrugged indifferently and Chouji paused from his chip chewing.

"Naruto doesn't even listen to his own teammate. What could we do?"

Ino ignored the singular use of 'teammate' but still failed to get her head around the situation.

"Sakura? He doesn't listen to her? Doesn't Naruto like Sakura?"

Shikamaru and Chouji shrugged continuing to walk, Ino quickly catching up to them. She was still vastly confused and was wondering why she had needed to leave her post at the flower shop.

"So... where are we going?"

"Lady Hokage" chimed her teammates

"Wait, Lady Tsunade? WHY?!"

Shikamaru stopped walked and shrugged his shoulders as if it was a great effort to him to explain his reasoning to her.

"Because, Naruto gets all the S-class missions because of his tiring search for the Uchiha. Usually it would be no sweat off my back but..."

He paused, dramatically… almost. Ino very much doubted that Shikamaru had ever sweat in all his years of living but she let him continue.

"S-class missions pay the most and you should know that hanging around this guy…" he gestured to Chouji

"…Racks up quite a bill."

Ino nodded in understanding, remembering all the times she had somehow found herself taking the bill whenever the three went out; most of it being Chouji's share. She could only imagine the cost for Shikamaru who was best friends with the guy.

Ino sighed, still wondering why SHE exclusively had been dragged into this mess.

"Fine."

------------------------------------

Sakura became very still, her face drained of colour and as she gazed not at Hinata, but into nothingness. In her mind she replayed every single detail of Naruto's being and attitude and tried as hard as she could to figure out a way to accuse Hinata of lying, to call her out.

But there was nothing. Sakura realized this and very sadly noticed that she had very little memories of Naruto. They had been teammates for so long, but back when she had Sasuke Naruto was 2nd priority. She had memories of Team 7, but none of Naruto exclusively. Sakura realized very slowly that she had never been the best teammate.

She had depended on Naruto and Sasuke to pull her out of harsh situations and rarely focused on the pain or safety of Naruto, choosing instead to fawn over Sasuke who would have been fine on his own. She could only recount a small number of times where she had cared for the both of them, and even so, the care was not equal.

They were all teammates, but... the relationships they shared were never equal. Now only when she had lost Sasuke had Sakura tried to look to Naruto, understand his feelings and care for his safety. Only now, when she had nothing left did she turn to the teammate she had left aside. Only now, when her teammate was suffering just as badly as she was.

She curled her lip bitterly. It was no wonder Naruto didn't listen to her, she had never really cared enough about him as much as he did for her.

Sakura found herself feeling very alone, and very cold as if she had, had cold water throw over her.

"S-S-Sakura-san, you're hurting me!"

Sakura jumped away from Hinata, who immediately started to nurse her shoulders.

"B-but you aren't, I mean have you...? You can't possibly be..?"

"Not sure." Hinata looked up as Sakura and then back down, ashamed.

"I've never had that kind of courage. That was always Naruto-kun's strength."

"So you haven't… checked? How else have you told?"

"No one else. I-I never even really meant to-to tell you even."

Hinata sat still in the chair, fiddling with her fingers and studying them as if Itachi himself was in front of her doing a very entertaining dance routine. Sakura had always wrote the action off as being weird, but now decided it was probably a nervous habit of the girl… no, woman.

"Why haven't you checked? What if you need help with it or if it's sick or if it's doing alright?" Sakura looked at the girl sternly. She had no right to judge Hinata but working with Lady Tsunade had shown her that health should always come into your list of top priorities.

"It? There might not ever be an 'it'"

Sakura frowned at the tone of Hinata's voice… it reminded her so much of…

"_**Are you ready to tango with the red-eyed monster?"**_

"S-Sakura-san?"

Sakura jerked her head in Hinata's direction, viciously pulling herself out of unpleasant memories.

"I think I should go, I have things I need to be attending to."

Hinata got up and bowed slightly to Sakura. She thanked her for the tea and stepped out of Sakura's apartment. Sakura stood there staring after the woman in the girl's body. Sakura wondered if people looked at Hinata in her tattered old genin uniform and thought that she was the same as she had been a couple years ago. Then again, Sakura had never paid that much attention to her… or many others for that matter; after all, a large section of her life had revolved around Sasuke.

Sakura sat back heavily on the chair Hinata had been in only moments ago. Smiling crookedly she remembered the little prayer she had said before going to bed. She had gotten onto her knees and prayed for the things she had wanted and never gave a second thought to them.

_**Hello God, it's me, Sakura. I would like to ask you for just one thing. Just one time could you let Sasuke-kun look at me. Not just look at me normally, but the way he might look at a wife or a lover. If you could just make this happen I would be eternally grateful. I don't even mind if my parents don't like it. I would run away with Sasuke-kun and leave them if I could be with him. They've had me most of my life, spending the rest with Sasuke-kun wouldn't be that bad, would it?**_

_**So please god, let Sasuke-kun look at me, even if it's just once. Even if we don't get married and have children and run away together, as long as I have a memory of him looking at me I'll be fine. Oh! Also, if I can't be with Sasuke-kun at least don't let him be with Ino-pig. I don't think I could bear it if she ended up with him.**_

_**Amen.**_

It had seemed so easy to fulfill her dreams back then, just one look for Sasuke-kun. She laughed, the hollow merriment echoing in the room.

That night Sakura got on her hands and knees and decided that one more time, she would pray; for the right things this time.

Sakura got on her knees and placed her clasped hands on the bed sheet before closing her eyes.

"Hello God, it's me, Sakura. All those years I had asked you for just one things and this time it's the same, only different. I'd like to change my plea this time; I'd like to ask for something different. Please god, let Naruto and Sasuke come home. I just want us to be Team 7 again, and not just for one day. I want us three to grow old together and watch Naruto become Hokage and watch Sasuke-kun re-build his family and have Kakashi-sensei show up late for all of our weddings. Please god, I only ask this one thing, and I'll only ask once and put my soul into it so you can clearly hear my single plea instead of many small silent ones. Please… I just want to be a team again.

Amen."

The next day Kakashi found Sakura sound asleep on her knees in front of her bed, her head resting on her arms. He scooped her up and deposited her in her bed, tucking the covers tightly around her. She took one final look at his sleeping pupil and then left. Even years later on his death bed Kakashi never spoke of the tear tracks he had seen on his pink haired student's face that night; not ever.


End file.
